!: Sony HTCT500 3.1 Speaker System With Complete Built-In A/V Receiver

One main deterrent for any higher end speaker system is the fact that cabling or wiring the system up during setup is a real pain in your choice of body part. The Sony HTCT500 is a 3.1 Speaker System that greatly simplifies the wiring process by connecting everything from an A/V receiver to a single sound-bar unit.

Design: As a step up from a standard three unit 2.1 channel sound system, the Sony HTCT500 sound-bar looks great. A bit wider than your average sound-bar, the system consists of the sound-bar and an upright A/V receiver with an icon based user interface. At 4.2 pounds the three-channel sound-bar isn't that heavy which should make wall mounting easier, while the A/V receiver is definitely a stationary device at 20.1 pounds. Using a matte black finish, the two devices look great.

Specifications: At 400W the Sony HTCT500 packs enough power for most but for the more demanding the system also includes a digital amplifier and a 24-bit S-Master amplifier. While this is more a feature of the A/V receiver, the system offers up-scaling to 1080p via HDMI along with analog up-conversion to HDMI. Connection-wise the system offers three HDMI inputs, one HDMI output, two analog audio inputs, one coaxial audio input, two component video inputs, one composite video input, one digital media port and three optical audio inputs. The system also supports S-Air rear speakers that you can add-on to the system later if you wish.
The system supports Dolby Digital, Dolby Pro Logic II, LPCM and DTS Decoding. The speakers and sub-woofer rely on a Bass Reflex design and are Magnetically Shielded. The system also supports 24p True Cinema Technology up to 1080/24p.

Features & Performance: Like 2.1 channel systems the Sony HTCT500 isn't entirely surround sound capable but works just as well for the most part. Sound quality is simply awesome while setting up the system is also a snap with almost no cable clutter at all. Like most Sony sound systems, bass is really powerful but trebles need a little tweaking. Thankfully, the system is precise enough to do that as well. HD video quality is also great as long as you are aware of the limitations of the system. Overall, the Sony HTCT500 3.1 Speaker System does exactly as advertised; it saves space, reduces cable clutter and serves great audio and video quality, making it ideal for the more confined living space.